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Definition 2024

決める

決める

Japanese

Kanji in this term
決
き
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative forms

Verb

決める ‎(transitive, ichidan conjugation, hiragana きめる, romaji kimeru)

  1. to make a choice between multiple alternatives, to decide
    日 (に)時 (ちじ)を決 (き)める
    nichiji o kimeru
    to choose a time
    This verb also has many idiomatic shades of meaning based on the underlying sense of decide:
    1. to decide to do something: to do something on purpose
      横 (おう)着 (ちゃく)を決 (き)める
      ōchaku o kimeru
      to decide to shirk → to shirk intentionally
    2. to perform a maneuver, to carry out a tactical action
      スクイズを決 (き)めた
      sukuizu o kimeta
      We've decided on the squeeze → The squeeze play is on.
    3. to decide on an opinion: to believe in an opinion firmly
      彼 (かれ)を犯 (はん)人 (にん)と決 (き)めてかかる
      kare o hannin to kimete kakaru
      I know he was the murderer from the very beginning
    4. to decide on a common course of action: to be accustomed to do, to do habitually
      朝 (ちょう)食 (しょく)はパンに決 (き)めている
      chōshoku wa pan ni kimete iru
      I always eat bread for breakfast
      This usage takes the particle に ‎(ni), and usually uses the -ている (-te iru) progressive form.
    5. to make an impressive or attractive physical appearance, usually by grooming oneself or making some unusual gestures
      黒 (くろ)い背広 (せびろ)と紺色 (こんいろ)のシャツで決 (き)める
      kuroi sebiro to kon'iro no shatsu de kimeru
      to decide on one's appearance with a black suit and indigo shirt → to be set or look sharp in a black suit and indigo shirt
    6. (derogatory) to decide to eat or use something: to eat, to intake, to consume
      シャブをキメる
      shabu o kimeru
      to use addictive drugs

Conjugation

Related terms

References

  1. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  2. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
  3. ↑ 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, ISBN 4-09-501211-0
  4. 1 2 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13143-0

Etymology

Derived as the transitive form of Old Japanese verb 決む ‎(kimu, “to decide something, to conclude something; to be decided, to be concluded”).[1][2][3]

The source verb kimu appears to follow a common pattern in Old Japanese verbs where the bare form is either transitive or intransitive, depending on context. This pattern persists in some modern verbs, such as つく ‎(tsuku). Many of these Old Japanese verbs developed explicit transitive and intransitive forms, with one group adopting an -aru on the end for the intransitive (as the 未然形 ‎(mizenkei, “irrealis or incomplete form”) ending in -a + the conjugating る ‎(ru) as the basic spontaneous or passive verb ending), and an -eru on the end for the transitive (as the 已然形 ‎(izenkei, “realis or potential form”) + the disappearing る ‎(ru) as a generic verb ending).

Pronunciation

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